English

Topologically Induced Instability in String Theory

High Energy Physics - Theory 2010-02-03 v2

Abstract

Using the generalised AdS/CFT correspondence, we show that there are certain ten-dimensional differentiable manifolds such that string theory on such a manifold is unstable [to the emission of "large branes"] no matter what the metric may be. The instability is thus due to the [differential] topology of the manifold, not to any particular choice of its geometry. We propose a precise criterion for this "topology selection mechanism", and prove it in many cases. The techniques employed may be useful in more general cases.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.hep-th/0101136,
  title  = {Topologically Induced Instability in String Theory},
  author = {Brett McInnes},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:hep-th/0101136},
  year   = {2010}
}

Comments

24 pages, clarifications suggested by referee, plus brief discussion of applications to topological black holes; JHEP version